International Assistance granted to the property until 2003

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2003

WHC:

The State Party provided a report by the US Department of the Interior dated 17 April 2003, which reviews point by point the issues and threats, which led to the inclusion of the site on the Danger List. These are:

1. Alterations of the hydrological regime and impacts from adjacent urban growth, including reduced water levels from flood control operations The report lists and briefly describes several projects that have been ongoing in order to try to save the remaining Everglades and restore some of their natural pre-drainage functioning:

· The Canal 111 series of projects will help facilitate a larger volume of water through Taylor Slough and into northeast Florida Bay. Work has been completed on the removal of portions of the old Park road from Anhinga Trail east to the Park boundary to further facilitate water flows. The report highlights that two of the five pump stations have been completed. In addition, the Canal 111’s supplemental Corps plan has implemented over the last four years special emergency water management actions to protect the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow.

· The Northeast Shark Slough project may be critical to the survival of several endangered species, including the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, whose population has declined dramatically. As of April 2003, approximately 98% of the total authorised acreage in the East Everglades addition are either in public ownership, condemnation, or have been referred for Declaration of Taking. It is estimated that sufficient funds have been provided to complete the remaining acquisitions.

· The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) incorporates 68 individual projects focusing on the whole of South Florida, including Everglades National Park. The State Party estimated it would take more than 30 years for projects to be completed.

· The Critical Ecosystem Studies Initiative (CESI) aims at providing scientific information for restoration processes. The CESI programme is currently refocusing from research and development to model applications and data collection in order to support the evaluation of the CERP and related restoration projects.

2. Increased nutrient pollution from agricultural activities. Water quality remains a concern in all restoration projects. To date, more than 16,000 hectares of filtration wetlands are completed, or nearing completion, to cleanse agricultural runoff from northern fields. According to the “Everglades Forever Act” water released into the Everglades by 2006, must contain a limited phosphorous level. The Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Florida supported the suggestion of the scientists that a maximum level of 10 parts per billion of phosphorous is required to restore and maintain a healthy aquatic system.

3. The ecological deterioration of Florida Bay. With generally wetter weather conditions in south Florida since 1994, relatively more fresh water has reached Florida Bay. As a result, water salinity lowered and there have been reductions in the sizes of algae blooms. The report states these conditions help in the planned restoration of natural water flow regimes throughout the Park.

IUCN:

The new information provided above has been proposed on a consensual basis between IUCN and the Centre.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2003

Adopted

Draft Decision

27COM7A.11

Everglades National Park (United States of America)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Notes the detailed report by the State Party provided on 17 April 2003 and acknowledges the effort and commitment by the State Party in addressing key management problems;

2. Invites the State Party to co-operate with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to prepare a report by 1 February 2004 for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 28th session in 2004, describing the steps the State Party intends to take to develop and implement action plans and define parameters and conditions to monitor progress in the restoration of the property, with a view to facilitating the Committee's future considerations for removing this property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;

3. Decides to retain the Everglades National Park on the List of World Heritage in Danger, as requested by the State Party.

1. Notes the detailed report by the State Party provided on 17 April 2003 and acknowledges the effort and commitment from the State Party in addressing key management problems,

2. Invites the State Party to co-operate with the Centre and IUCN to prepare a report for submission to the 28th session of the Committee in 2004, describing the steps State Party intends to take to develop and implement action plans and define parameters and conditions to monitor progress in the restoration of the site, with a view to facilitating the Committee’s future considerations for removing this site from the List of World Heritage in Danger,

3. Decides to retain the Everglades National Park on the List of World Heritage in Danger, as requested by the State Party.

Documents examined by the Committee in 2003

Exports

* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).